The 30 Best Resorts in Mexico

When it comes to the best resorts in Mexico, our 2016 Readers' Choice Awards picks don't leave anything out—there are swim-up suites and miles of beachfront bliss aplenty, not to mention all-inclusives, where nifty bonuses like a personal butler service and an unlimited supply of fresh, fruity cocktails are factored in when you book. Whether you're looking for a little family fun or a chilled out vacation for two, we've got you covered.

30. Azul Sensatori Mexico

Why we love it:This all-inclusive (and all-suite) getaway attracts couples and family alike. The hotel has six restaurants with Italian, Mexican and Caribbean cuisine, including the adults-only Le Chique and the family-friendly Tapas—something for everybody, really—plus a children’s pool with a water slide, an arcade room for teenagers, and more. Adults shouldn't feel left out, either: Along with a top-notch spa, you can take Spanish lessons, cooking classes, or get your heart rate up with beach volleyball, yoga, or kayaking.

Courtesy Excellence Playa Mujeres

29. Excellence Playa Mujeres

Why we love it: If you need a break from your wily brood—and let’s be honest, who doesn’t, every once in a while?—it’s down to Excellence Playa Mujeres you go. This adults-only, all-inclusive resort situated north of Cancún racks up rave reviews for its first-rate service, which includes a cold towel and cocktail greeting—much obliged when it’s hot and humid—a well-stocked minibar, and of course, indulgent, drop-of-a-hat service. The place has plenty of beach real estate, where you can float aimlessly for an hour or two, or latch onto an icy cold margarita via beachside drink service—no need to bring a cooler full of cheap beers here.

27. One&Only Palmilla

Why we love it: Few places compare to this beachfront resort where guest rooms have iron-studded doors, travertine floors, and painted sinks. Staff—especially the private butlers—treat you like a celebrity. To wit: guests can expect poolside foot massages, and margarita ice pops. If the prospect of lounging around all day doesn't thrill you, then the opportunities for tandem sky diving, scuba diving, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, and stargazing (with an astronomer) in the Baja Desert just might.

Courtesy Pueblo Bonito Hotels and Resorts

26. Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay Resort & Spa

Why we love it: Sure, any great Mexican resort has premium beach views—but can they all brag about their lush, vibrant gardens, too? Fortunately, Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay has that feature in spades. At this 20-acre beachfront resort between the Pacific and the Sierra Madre, freestanding villas are scattered amid a grove of 150-year-old mangroves and roving, landscaped grounds, while rooms cast in warm blues, yellows, greens, and whites have private, fully furnished terraces. Check out La Cordeliere for international and French cuisine, and in particular, their themed buffets and Sunday champagne brunch.

Courtesy Hacienda Encantada

25. Hacienda Encantada Resort & Spa

Why we love it: Cabo with an edge, literally. For those seeking a more rugged experience, Hacienda Encantada sits perched on the cliffs north of quintessential Cabo, Playa Medona. What may be lost in rockier, less swimming-friendly beaches is more than made up for in splendorous isolation and sheer beauty. Rooms are spectacularly large, with warm, rich, Mexican-inflected décor—think dark wood headboards, wildly tropical duvets, vibrant oil paintings, and textiles brought in from nearby Guadalajara.

Courtesy Pueblo Bonito Hotels and Resorts

24. Pueblo Bonito Mazatlán

Why we love it:This all-inclusive Pueblo Bonito property overlooking the Pacific Ocean has almost everything you'd want on vacation—warm and colorful rooms, two pools, and, if you're feeling ambitious, cooking classes. It's also within reach of some must-see destinations: fewer than four miles from the Mazatlán aquarium, and a little under six miles to the impressive Catédral de Mazatlán—both bucket list stops for any traveler. Make the most of the pools' swim-up bars—one of our favorite features—and the al fresco dining at Cilantro's.

Courtesy Le Blanc Spa Resort

23. Le Blanc Spa Resort

Why we love it:This beachfront, upscale all-inclusive resort in the core of the hotel zone is a slice of heaven in otherwise crazy Cancún. Want proof? Look no further than the interiors, which are minimalist in decor, with all-white furnishings, or the extensive pillow menu you can peruse while a butler prepares a whirlpool bath. Food is over-the-top at Lumière, where you can sample the contemporary French tasting menu; for à la carte Italian, head to Blanc Italia.

22. Zoëtry Paraiso De La Bonita Riviera Maya

Why we love it: What's not to love about a resort where all the suites are ocean-facing, and come equipped with their own private terrace? Not much, as guests of the 90-room Zoëtry Paraiso De La Bonita Riviera Maya can confirm. Rooms are gorgeous and come with every possible amenity, including Bvlgari bath products, sparkling wine, fresh fruit, and sunken tubs. The service alone is worth applauding, as guests receive a welcome bottle of tequila, thrice-daily housekeeping service, and a harpist at breakfast—things you definitely can't get at home.

Courtesy Solmar Hotels & Resorts

21. Grand Solmar Land's End Resort & Spa

Why we love it: Guests have remarked that rooms at this 246-room resort, concealed by granite cliffs near Cabo San Lucas's famous Lands End arc, are "so close to the ocean you feel like you're on a boat"—and we couldn't agree more. If you're looking to dig in to some bonafide local cuisine, head to La Roca, where the homemade baked goods, savory seafood dishes, and authentic Baja cuisine are the stuff of local legend.

Courtesy Marquis Los Cabos Resort & Spa

20. Marquis Los Cabos Resort & Spa

Why we love it: You can't go wrong with any room you book at Marquis Los Cabos—in fact, it only houses suites, which means ample room for relaxing and recharging. Better still, all come outfitted with a hot tub, a furnished balcony, and views of the Sea of Cortez. Expect the requisite slew of restaurants and bars at this adults-only all-inclusive, but it's the extracurriculars that really stand out: Try your hand at dance or archery lessons, and party the night away at weekly themed parties.

18. Rosewood Mayakoba

Why we love it: Once you arrive at this gorgeous ecological enclave in Riviera Maya, don't expect to rush anywhere—chances are, you'll want to gape at the interior details, like hunks of Yucatán limestone and renewable wood, as well as wooden lattices and glass doors that punctuate the guest rooms. On your Rosewood Mayakoba to-do list should be the Sense spa, which sits on its own private island overlooking limestone lagoons. Try out one of its unique Mayan-influenced treatments, like the Cenote Temazcal Purification—you'll start by meditating in the garden, and work your way to a detoxifying steam bath, scrub, and massage.

Courtesy Pueblo Bonito Hotels and Resorts

17. Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort

Why we love it: Beyond its stretch of resplendent beachfront, there's plenty to impress at this secluded adults-only retreat. Rooms are vibrant and airy, but what we really love are the deliciously-scented coconut mango scrubs at Armonia Spa, and the restaurants that are tasty (and varied) enough to please any picky palate: Siempre blends Mediterranean and Mexican flavors, while Horizons, located on the sand, has nightly themed dinners—Brazilian steak house, Italian, seafood, organic Ayurvedic, to name a few. Need more ways to pass the time? Golf, fishing, and trips to observe nesting sea turtles are just a few of the available activities.

16. Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta

Why we love it:This all-inclusive resort on Banderas Bay, just 15 minutes from Puerto Vallarta's airport, has it all—great food, a beautiful beach, and plenty of activities, plus round-the-clock service. All rooms have hydro spa tubs, wood floors, Farouk Systems amenities, and water or garden views; many also have balconies with hammocks. Drop the kids off at the Little Big Club (entertainment included), and stop in for a little R&R at the resort's in-house salon before your big date at any of the resort's six restaurants and five bars.

Courtesy Viceroy Hotels and Resorts

15. Viceroy Riviera Maya

Why we love it: The Viceroy Riviera Maya is a vacation, in the truest sense of the word: Palapa villas with lots of wood and rattan (many with private pools and outdoor showers) are connected by meandering pathways that fan out to lush, fragrant gardens, while the resort itself sits on seven miles of glorious, white sand beaches. Just remember that you are in the jungle, so be sure to keep your eye out for some wily spider monkeys.

Courtesy Auberge Resorts

14. Esperanza (An Auberge Resort)

Why we love it: Comprised of clifftop sand-hued casitas and suites, plus three- and four-bedroom villas, this resort has rooms that all face the Sea of Cortez, some with private balconies and infinity-edge hot tubs. Cocina del Mar, which spills over three terraces, serves platters of fresh local seafood—order the sweet and tender Baja lobster tail for a real treat.

Courtesy Rosewood Hotels & Resorts

13. Las Ventanas al Paraíso (Rosewood)

Why we love it: A meandering network of terraces, suites, pools, and bars make up this Mexican-Mediterranean resort overlooking the Sea of Cortez. Beyond the rooms, which feature terra-cotta fireplaces and hand-carved cedar doors, guests can look forward to a fresh fruit basket each morning, and personal butler service, but the Ty Warner mansion wildly outdoes it all: The exclusive, 28,000-square-foot mansion sits directly on the water’s edge, and guests who book the property can request a fireworks display as their personal chef prepares dinner.

12. Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita

Why we love it: At this 1,500-acre "hidden oasis" north of Puerto Vallarta, no request is too outlandish—readers have relayed stories of dedicated servers, like one who walked "chest high into the ocean, in his uniform, to bring us our drinks." Red-roof garden casitas are done in a sea and sand palette, with Mexican art and louvered doors. Meanwhile, the state-of-the-art 18-hole Jack Nicklaus course at Pacifico takes the game to the extreme: be prepared to swing for a hole that's on an island 200 yards offshore.

Courtesy Karisma Hotels & Resorts

11. El Dorado Seaside Suites

Why we love it:This Karisma property, which opened in late 2015, does nothing in halves—with 10 restaurants, 4 bars, a spa and fitness center, it could easily come off as another woefully overdone option on the busy Riviera Maya circuit, but instead surprises with superior service and clever details. Some of its 192 rooms are swim-up suites, for instance, and a beach and pool butler service is just a polite ask away. Oceanfront Jacuzzi suites are the way to stay, with closets larger than traditional bathrooms, double sinks and glass-wrapped showers.

Courtesy Pueblo Bonito Hotels and Resorts

10. Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Golf & Spa Resort

Why we love it: There's not much to dislike at this 52-acre, all-inclusive blufftop resort on the Pacific Ocean—after all, it's not every day you take in perfect views of migrating whales while floating in an infinity pool. The architecture is hacienda-style, and the bedding and décor sport Mexican patterns. Head to LaFrida, a dimly-lit boîte oozing with old-school Mexican elegance (think luminous black chandeliers, and Frida Kahlo reproductions lining the walls), for a night of traditional live music and some hearty but sophisticated dishes—the glistening pork belly confit, served in achiote adobo, is a must.

Courtesy NIZUC Resort & Spa

9. NIZUC Resort & Spa

Why we love it: The beach—and the views of it—are the main attractions at this resort on the Yucatán Peninsula. So book one of the eight penthouse suites, which have outdoor living rooms and Caribbean vistas. Views aside, there’s much more to love at this 274-room resort—it counts three colossal infinity pools and two beaches, both well stocked with loungers, among its riches—and slowly work your way through its six restaurants. We love Ramona, with its clean and contemporary Mexican fare (did somebody say, lobster-and-coriander-sauce ceviche?), and La Punta Grill, where a tender, expertly-salted flank steak might just be the main event.

Courtesy Las Alamandas

8. Las Alamandas

Why we love it:This seaside resort feels like a nature reserve (1,500 acres of gardens!) without the crowds. There are only 16 larger-than-life suites in all, but with four private beaches along the Costalegre—secluded strips of sand owned by four billionaire hoteliers who love a sense of understated glamour—you get more than your fair share of sand. Celebrities like Cindy Crawford and Sting are regulars, as is Robert de Niro who frequents the place with a passion (the resort even custom-built him a gym).

Courtesy Rancho La Puerta

7. Rancho La Puerta

Why we love it: The grounds of this 4,000-acre Spanish colonial-style resort below Mount Kuchumaa, which is sacred to some Native Americans, includes mountains, boulders, meadows, grasslands, woodlands, and chaparral—the perfect setting for its rigorous hiking program. Other offerings at the fitness-focused resort include hatha yoga; pilates; watsu (in-water massages and stretching); acupuncture; hot river-stone massages; and craniosacral therapy.

6. The Resort at Pedregal

Why we love it:This Mediterranean village-inspired enclave gives off a rustic, serendipitous beach vibe that makes you feel like you just stumbled on the place, and luckily so. Suites are outfitted with hand-carved wood, locally-made ceramic tiles, and plunge pools hanging off private ocean view terraces. Another selling point for visitors? The exceedingly attentive staff, plus a personal concierge program—you'll have someone totally dedicated to making your vacation dreams come true, and who’ll plan romantic evening cruises and early morning massages at your request.

Courtesy Belmond

5. Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa

Why we love it: The Belmond Maroma's white stucco buildings with thatched-roof terraces were entirely handcrafted by one family of Mayan masons, and the attention to detail inside is equally impressive: white-walled rooms are decorated with hand-loomed bedding and rugs, and oversized tubs are lined with vibrant Mexican tiles. The dinner menu at El Sol includes a bouillabaisse with hints of habanero, while La Cantina, a traditional Mexican bar, serves local drinks and homestyle botanas. The service is out-of-this-world—15 on a scale of one to ten.

Courtesy The Cape/Photo by Thomas Hart Shelby

4. The Cape

Why we love it: A mod-Mexican restaurant from Enrique Olvera, four bars with note-perfect cocktails (over 100 and counting), two pools, a first class spa, and not a trace of hacienda-style architecture—in short, this resort is just what Cabo needed. Every room here has a balcony to view the Pacific from (some with private plunge pools and butler service), and guests can take advantage of Cabo’s only rooftop lounge to relish each and every sunset.

3. Cuixmala

Why we love it: This private estate south of Puerto Vallarta with 12 suites, three private villas, and ten casitas, sits on a private beach backed by a 25,000-acre nature preserve. It doesn’t have a kids’ club, but who needs one when the whole family can go horseback riding and fishing, and watch sea turtles lay their eggs on the beach?

Courtesy Generations Riviera Maya/Photo by Moris Moreno

2. Generations Riviera Maya

Why we love it: This 144 all-suite resort has mastered the art of "family-friendly"—it has some of the largest guest rooms in the Mexican Caribbean, plus sliding walls that allow you to shrink and grow living space, and big bathrooms that have two sinks and a Jacuzzi. A dedicated butler service takes care of the unpacking and settling in, and can even book local activities like kayak lessons. For the kiddos, there are strollers, cribs, even child-size robes and slippers for the taking—and a kids' club where you can drop them off for a while.

1. El Dorado Maroma

Why we love it: It doesn't get much better than El Dorado Maroma's Royal Swim Up Suites, which have direct access to the main pool via a lazy river. Breakfast and lunch at Sabores or Papitos Gourmet Beach Club can be followed by dinner at the Japanese-centric Kiyoko, where the teppanyaki is second-to-none. The best part? There's no need to bring bucks or bibs, this being the all-inclusive, adults-only paradise that it is.